Steam-engine reversing-valve.



No. 647,479. Patented Apr. I7, I900. a. w. CULP.

STEAM ENGINE BEVERSING VALVE.

[Application filed Nov. 11, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 647,479. Patented Apr. I7, 1900. a. w. CULP.

STEAM ENGINE BEVEBSING VALVE.

App catmn filed Nov. 11, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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ll i ////////%l NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. GULF, OF LYNDON, ILLIUOIS.

STEAM-ENGINE REVERSlNG-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,479, dated April1'7, 1900.

Application filed November 11, 1899. Serial No. 736,642. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that LGEORGE W. OULP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lyndon, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Steam- Engine Reversing-Valve, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam-engines in general, and particularly tothe reciprocating type, and has special reference to the valvemechanism, the object of the invention being to provide a constructioncomprising a main steam-chest and a supplemental steam-chest, the valvesof which are differently set and which may be alternately thrown intocommunication with the feed-pipe and the cylinder to reverse thedirection of motion of the engine.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichsimilar numerals of reference designate like and corresponding parts inthe several views, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a steam-cylinderand its attached chests, the position and construction of the throttlebeing also shown. Fig. 2 is a .central horizontal section of Fig. 1, thepiston being in elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 andshowing the supplemental steam-chest and its valves, as also thethrottle-valve and its casing. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2and showing the ends of the steam passages communicating with thecylinder. Fig. 5 is a section 011 line 5 5 of Fig. 2 and showing theexhaust port and passages of one of the valve-seats in the supplementalchest. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 2 and showing thedrain-port, as also the exhaust port and passage from the main chest.Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 70f Fig. 2 and taken through thedrain-port of the supplemental chest, as alsothe second exhaust port orpassage.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents a cylinder having a piston11 therein, of usual construction, provided with a rod 12, passedoutwardly and longitudinally of the cylinder through a suitablestuffing-box. At one side of the cylinder is formed two steamchests 12and 13, of which the chest 12 is directly adjacent the bore of thecylinder and the supplemental or second chestis upon the outer wall ofthe first-named or main chest.

Leading from the chest 12 and from points adjacent the center thereofare steam-passages 14 and 15, which communicate with ports 16 and 17,which open into the cylinder 10 at opposite ends thereof. The outer endsof these passages 14 and 15 open into the chest 12 through a valve-seatformed upon one side of the chest and which seat receives a slidevalve18, of usual construction, and which valve is adapted to alternatelycover the outer ends of these passages 14 and 15 and communicate themwith an exhaust-port 19, which leads outwardly of the chest andcommunicates with the exhaust-pipe in the usual manner. therewith andwhich rod is attached at its outer end to an eccentric in the usualmanner.

Flap-valves are pivotally mounted in the ports or chambers 16 and 17 andare adapted to normally lie upon and close the inner ends of thesteam-passages 14 and 15 and prevent back pressure from the cylinderthrough these passages under conditions which will be presentlyexplained.

It will be seen from the above description that if steam be admitted tothe chest 12 and the valve 18 reciprocated the piston 11 will becorrespondingly moved.

The throttle which governs the steam-chests comprises a casing 21,mounted upon the exterior of the cylinder or steam chests andcommunicating with which is a supply-pipe 22. From this casing leads apassage 23 to the chest 12 and a separate passage 24 to the chest 13. Aslide-valve 25 is disposed within the casing 21 and is connected with anoperating-lever 26, through the medium of which said slide-valve may bereciprocated to alternately and successively cover and uncover thepassages 23 and 24, and thus to direct the steam to either of thechests.

The chest 12 opens into the chest 13 and is provided with a steam-pipecover 27 to prevent the passage of steam from one chest to the other,while permitting access to the chest 12 when desired.

At each end of the chest 13 is a valve-seat, and which seats are adaptedto receive slidevalves 28 and 29 similar in every respect and having acommon valve-rod 30 passed through the end of the chest and connectedwith a suitable eccentric. From each of the last- This valve 18 has arod 19 connected named valve-seats leads a steam-passage 31 to thecorresponding port or chamber 16 and 17 and at the opposite side of thevalve 20 from the corresponding steam-passage 14 and 15. Opening alsothrough each of the said valve-seats in the chest 13 is an exhaust-port35, which leads outwardly through the side of the steam-chest.

It has been found desirable when either steam-chest is in an inoperativerelation to the cylinder that it be opened to permit the drain of waterof condensation therefrom. For this purpose a drain-port 36 is formed inthe wall of the chest 13 and communicates with the adjacent passage orport 35. A corresponding drain-port 37 is formed through the wall of thechest 12 and communicates with the port 19 In order to alternately coverand uncover these drain-ports, slide closures 38 and 39 are provided andhave operatingrods 40 and 41, which pass outwardly and through the wallsof their respective chests and are connected with one end of the lever26 of the throttle-valve. The rods 40 and 41 are so proportioned thatwhen moved to one limit of their motion the drain-port of one chest willbe opened, while the drain-port of the other will be closed, and viceversa.

The valves in the diiferent chests are oppositely set, so that steamadmitted to one chest will drive the engine in one direction and steamadmitted to the other chest will drive it in an opposite direction, itthus being seen that by manipulation of the lever 26 the direction ofrotation of the engine may be governed.

From the above description it will be seen that when the chest 13 is inoperative relation to the cylinder the chest 12 is out of such relation,and to prevent back pressure of steam through the passages 14 when thechest 12 is inoperative the valves 20 are provided, these valves beingheld tightly over the inner ends of the passages 14 and 15 by the steam-pressure. These valves 20 are also adapted to lie over the inner endsof the passages 31 when the chest 12 is in operative relation to thecylinder, it being understood that the inward passage of steam throughthe passages 14 and 15 will act to blow the valves to cover the passages31.

It will of course be understood that in practice any desired proportion,and materials may be employed in the construction of the valve mechanismand also that various modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention; also, it will be appreciated that thepositions of the steamohests may be changed by placing one above theother below the cylinder or by placing one at each side of the cylinder,in which event suitable mechanism will be employed for communicatingmotion to the slide-valves.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a steam-cylinder having apiston, of a main steam-chest communicating with the cylinder, a valvemechanism for said chest, a supplemental chest communicating with thecylinder and having separate valve mechanism, and valves adapted toalternately close communication between the cylinder and the chests.

2. The combination with a cylinder having a piston, of a mainsteam-chest, steam-passages connecting said chest with the cylinder, anexhaust for the cylinder, valve mechanism adapted to alternatelycommunicate the steam-passages with the exhaust, the supplementalsteam-chest having steam-passages leading to the cylinder, anexhaust-passage adjacent each of said steam-passages, valves adapted tocommunicate said exhausts with the steam-passages alternately, andvalves adapted to cover the steam-passages of the chests alternately,under the influence of steam passing through the uncovered passages.

3. The combination with a cylinder having a piston, of a main chesthaving steam-passages communicating With the cylinder, an exhaustpassage from said chest, a valve adapted to communicate theexhaust-passage with the steam-passages alternately, a supplementalsteam-chest having steam -passages communicating with the cylinder,exhaustports from the supplemental chest, valves adapted to communicatethe exhaust-ports alternately with their respective steam-passages, athrottle adapted to admit steam to the chests alternately, drain-portsfor the chests, closures for the drain-ports, and connections betweenthe closures and the throttle for opening the drain-port of the inactivechest and closing the drain-port of the active chest when the throttleis operated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature inthe presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE V. CULP.

Vitnesses:

BYRD R. KIRK, JOHN WHALLoN.

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